Aerial photograph of the damage caused after a 9.1-magnitude quake caused the biggest tsunami in recorded history, Banda Aceh, north Sumatra, Indonesia, January 16, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Tsunami Inundation Damage

Aerial photograph of the damage caused after a 9.1-magnitude quake caused the biggest tsunami in recorded history, Banda Aceh, north Sumatra, Indonesia, January 16, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Tsunami Fire Sumatra

Aerial photograph of the damage caused after a 9.1-magnitude quake caused the biggest tsunami in recorded history, Banda Aceh, north Sumatra, Indonesia, January 16, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Banda Aceh Tsunami

Aerial photograph of the damage caused after a 9.1-magnitude quake caused the biggest tsunami in recorded history, Banda Aceh, north Sumatra, Indonesia, January 16, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Decimated Land

In some cases the tsunami wave reached 20 metres (66ft) high and speeds of up to 140mph, decimating entire villages and wiping out a third of the city north Sumatra, Indonesia, January 21, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Meulaboh Sumatra

Meulaboh was among the hardest hit by the tsunami, leaving an estimated 40,000 people out of 120,000 killed, West Ache Region, Sumatra, Indonesia, January 22, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Meulaboh was among the hardest hit by the tsunami, leaving an estimated 40,000 people out of 120,000 killed, West Ache Region, Sumatra, Indonesia, January 22, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Meulaboh Houses

Meulaboh was among the hardest hit by the tsunami, leaving an estimated 40,000 people out of 120,000 killed, West Ache Region, Sumatra, Indonesia, January 22, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Indonesian Hind Mi24

Indonesian military MI24 Hind surveys damage caused after a 9.1-magnitude quake caused the biggest tsunami in recorded history, north Sumatra, Indonesia, January 16, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Lampu'uk Mosque

The small seaside village of Lampu'uk – where the gigantic mosque was the only building that survived the tsunami, Sumatra, Indonesia January 18, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Calang Displaced Tsunami Cammp

Calang, the capital of the Ache Jaya Region had a population of about 12,000 though it was reported to have vanished completely leaving only scattered shards of concrete. Displaced living in tents, Sumatra, Indonesia, January 28, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

Meulaboh Tsunami Town

Meulaboh was among the hardest hit by the tsunami, leaving an estimated 40,000 people out of 120,000 killed, West Ache Region, Sumatra, Indonesia, January 22, 2005. (Photo/Mark Pearson)

An earthquake measuring 9.1-magnitude on the Richter scale struck an area off the west coast of Sumatra on December 26, 2004. It triggered a series of tsunamis that inundated coastal areas in the Indian Ocean rim, from Indonesia to Somalia, affecting millions of people in fourteen countries.

Because there was no tsunami early warning system in the Indian Ocean, this resulted in a very high death toll, and widespread destruction of infrastructure affecting many livelihoods. More than 250,000 died in 14 countries. But, 221,000 of those killed were in the conflict-prone province of Aceh, amounting to the loss of one third of the population, also leaving another 500,000 people displaced. The city of Banda Aceh suffered terribly, as did every town south including Calang, Meulaboh, Leupung. Even the islands of Simeulue and Nias were hit.

The west-facing coastlines were struck by the highest waves, some more than 30m (98ft) high with a momentum of 140mph, decimating entire villages and wiped-out a third of Banda Aceh. Waves that hit the north-facing coastline of Banda Aceh were lower, about 12m (39ft) high, but the area’s low-lying land allowed those waves to penetrate far inland. Wave heights of 15m (50ft) high hit along the entire 100-km stretch of coast from Kreung Sabe to the northwest tip of the island.

Because Banda Aceh lies within 200km of the earthquake epicentre, this is classed as a ‘near field’ tsunami. The tsunami struck within 20 minutes of the earthquake, and as there was no early warning system in place, the rapid onset of the tsunami caused the massive loss of life throughout northern Sumatra.

I spent months in the affected areas and took this set of images between January and March 2005 on a mixture of civilian and military helicopters that were on humanitarian operations for the victims of the tsunami.